I bought the most beautiful dinner plate size 1.5 lb portherhouse steaks the other day--the deluxe section with the thickest part of the filet attached and almost no bone--Black Angus choice, for $7.99/lb. These weren't on sale, it's just the current price. In August, the same steak would have cost me $12.99/lb or so. If I'm not mistaken, beef prices were especially attractive about this time of year last year, too.

I bought four and wrapped them individually for the freezer. That's four meals--one will feed both of us easily.

But I don't remember any such phenomena in L.A. Maybe it's logical on a regional basis? Here at latitude 49, colder weather certainly means less barbecuing, and over the holidays the competition from the poultry department for what is considered a luxury meat might simply drive prices down.

What's happening to beef prices where you live?

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

No, they don't have a butcher counter. But they do have awesome baked goods and take-out!

They have recently been purchased (Jerry retired this past summer) and are undergoing some renovations and menu changes. They are the restaurant closest to my workplace, so we pop in there quite frequently.

Are you familiar with Santa Fe? This is not the kind of place one merely pulls out of the air!

I've been to Santa Fe a few times, and I once had breakfast at the Market after hearing about it for many moons from a friend who lived nearby. I even had plans to buy property in Taos. It's a special place.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

Since moving San Francisco's East Bay area, my price compass seems only to point North or spin out of control. I have never been anywhere where things are so blamed expensive. Beef is a perfect example.

It seems to be an annual ritual here. Right around Memorial Day the prices for beef and any other grillable slab of meat skyrocket. Even at Costco you can see the price change from one day to the next. After Labor Day, you see the prices plummet, especially for beef. They are literally throwing carcasses at you until the overstock is sold.

From a casual point of view and within the above frame of reference, I frankly have not observed lesser prices. I usually wait to go to my HQ in Dallas and then I simply eat steak every day and get it out of my system at a price I can afford.